Domestic fowl with guinea pigs in a wooded landscape, with buildings beyond

Jakob Bogdani studied live specimens in aviaries such as that of his patron, the Admiral George Churchill. He also painted from stuffed models, a small collection of which he had in his own studio, which he left to his son-in-law Tobias Stranover after his death. The fine cockerel in this picture is repeated in several other works by Bogdani. Guinea pigs, originating from Peru, were introduced into Europe in the mid-1500s and occasionally feature in still-life and bird pictures. Bogdani's description of his working practices in 1691, suggest that he usually divided his subjects rigorously, '[I] paint in the Spring flowers & in the Somer flowers & Fruits wene they are out of Lobsters and oyster pieces, in the Winter pieces of Fowell & plate' (MS, Chatsworth, Derbyshire).